Antiviral electrospun fibers and methods of reducing airborne pathogen spread

An antiviral facial mask comprising:

• an outer surface;
• an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface configured to conform to a shape of a wearer's face;
• an antiviral membrane layer disposed between the outer surface and the inner surface, the antiviral membrane layer including:
• a plurality of electrospun fiber strands comprised of a mixture of a positively charged polyelectrolyte, a negatively charged polyelectrolyte, an amount of embedded surfactant molecules, and an amount of embedded metal ion molecules, wherein the amount of embedded surfactant molecules present in the mixture is between 0.1% and 5% of the mixture;
• wherein the plurality of electrospun fiber strands are thermally crosslinked by heating at approximately 100° C., whereby the plurality of electrospun fiber strands are stable in high-humidity conditions;
• wherein the plurality of electrospun fiber strands block airborne aerosol particles in a submicron size range while permitting airflow associated with human breath;
• wherein the amount of the embedded surfactant molecules of the antiviral membrane layer are activated upon exposure to water molecules from the human breath;
• wherein, once activated and in the presence of an airborne pathogen comprising a plurality of particles having a fatty lipid membrane, on the outer layer of the antiviral facial mask, the amount of the embedded surfactant molecules interact with the fatty lipid membrane of one or more of the plurality of particles of the airborne pathogen, thereby denaturing the fatty lipid membranes of the one or more of the plurality of particles of the airborne pathogen such that the fatty lipid membranes dissolve;
• and
• wherein the antiviral membrane layer captures and deactivates the one or more of the plurality of particles of the airborne pathogen prior to the particles reaching the inner surface of the antiviral facial mask.